"I don't think I should interfere in Sakura's business," Haru said, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Kei sighed, rubbing his temple in frustration. "Sakura made it your business the night she called you during her mixer."
"You should go ask Mia. You're the one who has a crush on her, right?" Haru retaliated.
"But she's the one who has a crush on you." Kei said agitated.
"Hi." A voice interrupted.
"Hey, Sakura!" Kei said cheerfully, a little caught off guard though. Haru quickly looked away, his heart skipping a beat.
"Do you mind if I sit with you guys?" Sakura asked, her voice soft but filled with a nervous energy.
"No, not at all." Kei replied, perhaps a bit too eagerly.
Sakura sat down, her face immediately turning a fiery red. She could feel the heat spreading from her cheeks down to her neck, the familiar sense of nervous excitement building in her chest. She avoided looking at Haru, the memory of their kiss still fresh in her mind. It played in loops in her head, her stomach fluttering at the thought.
The anxiety felt like a weight pressing down on her chest, and she could feel her palms sweating as she gripped her bag tightly.
The three of them sat in awkward silence, each feeling the tension thickening in the air. Sakura's heart pounded erratically in her chest. Her body felt too hot, her breath shallow. Every minute that passed made her more desperate for him to say something, anything, to break the silence. But all she could do was sit there, silently willing Haru to make a move.
Then, finally, Kei stood up. "I don't know about you, but I'm parched. I'll go get us some drinks." He added, in a hushed voice to Haru, "Ask her out. She's already fulfilled your requirements." Then Kei disappeared, leaving the two of them alone.
"So…" They both said at the same time, making the situation even more awkward.
Both of them froze, and for a moment, all they could do was stare at the table, their faces burning. The heat felt unbearable now, like steam could practically rise from their skin.
"You go first," Haru said, his voice quieter than usual, as though he was struggling to even get the words out. His hands fidgeted nervously on the table, sweat beading on his palms.
"Okay." Sakura's voice came out too softly, and her throat tightened. She swallowed hard. She didn't have the courage to speak directly about the kiss, but she had to ask. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what to say. "About the kiss—"
"What about it?" Haru said, his voice way too quick—almost panicked—his heart hammering in his chest. His face was on fire, and his nervous energy surged through him, making him feel dizzy.
"Um—never mind." Sakura's heart sank, and she couldn't help but feel a strange disappointment wash over her. Was this really happening? Her chest felt tight, and the smile she had tried to keep up with faltered.
"Sakura."
"Yes?" They finally looked at each other, their eyes locking. Her heart nearly stopped in her chest at the intensity in his gaze. This was it. She could feel the tension building like a knot in her stomach, waiting for him to say the words she had been so eager to hear.
"I—um—" Haru's voice trailed off, his hands slightly trembling now. His mouth went dry, the words tangled in his throat.
"Yes?" Sakura asked eagerly, her heart racing wildly in anticipation. She could almost hear the pounding in her ears, drowning out everything else. All she wanted was for him to say something that would end this nervous agony.
"Never mind."
"Oh." Sakura's breath left her in a quiet sigh, and she looked down, the weight of his words hitting her. Disappointment rushed through her, heavy in her chest, like a balloon deflating. Why wasn't he saying anything? Did she make it all too difficult?
Kei, who had been watching them from a distance, shook his head, then came to their rescue. "I brought drinks!"
"Thanks, Kei." Sakura said with a sad smile. She tried to keep her disappointment hidden, but Haru noticed the subtle shift in her expression. It was enough for Haru feel a sharp pang of regret in his chest. Why had he hesitated?
…
I'm going to do it! I'm going to ask her out! Haru insisted inside his head.
As everyone started heading home, Haru grabbed Sakura's wrist, making her gasp.
"Oh, Haru. You scared me," Sakura said, catching her breath, her heart pounding in her chest.
Haru instantly let go. "Sorry." But this time, he wasn't going to back down. He was determined. This time, he was going to ask her out.
He stood tall and looked at Sakura, who was still trying to avoid his gaze, her cheeks flushed bright red. With a deep breath, Haru blurted out, "Will you go out with me?"
Sakura slowly turned her head to face him, staring at him in awe. For a moment, she didn't say anything, but then she nodded, her smile wide and bright, lighting up her whole face. "Yes."
Haru let out a deep breath, relief washing over him as he took a step closer to her, pulling her toward him to kiss her—
BEEP! BEEP!
A car honked, making them both jump.
"Get in the car, Romeo!" A voice interrupted, loud and clear.
Both of them turned to the man in the car, and without thinking, Sakura blurted out his name, "Aoi!"
"I'm sorry, havewemetbefore?" Aoi asked, furrowing his brow as he glanced at Sakura.
Sakura's heart sank as she realised her mistake. She had been so caught up in the moment that she hadn't thought. She had completely forgotten that she hadn't met Aoi yet in this lifetime.
Haru's eyes narrowed, his confusion mounting. "How do you know my older brother?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
Sakura scrambled for an answer.
Shit, shit, shit. What should I say?
She panicked, forcing herself to keep her expression neutral. "I saw him when I was at your apartment," she began, subconsciously lifting her chin—a telltale sign of her lying.
Haru's gaze sharpened.
I've seen that chin lift before.
Sakura continued, trying to sound casual. "I assumed he was your brother. I didn't know his name until Kei mentioned it this morning… until… until that video played in class." Her cheeks flushed at the memory. "It seemed like a classic brother joke to me."
Haru remained silent, observing her carefully, his mind piecing things together. Something wasn't right.
And then—an idea struck him.
"Aoi, get out of the car. I want to introduce you to Sakura."
Aoi jumped out, grinning. "You're Sakura? It's nice to finally meet you." He extended a hand toward her—
KAPOW!
Haru's fist connected with Aoi's face, sending his older brother stumbling back.
Sakura gasped, covering her mouth in shock. "Haru!"
Aoi rubbed his jaw, blinking in surprise. There was no blood, just a deepening bruise forming under his skin.
Haru shook out his hand, his tone firm but calm. "That's for the video. You're lucky Kei isn't here right now. He would've beat the shit out of you right now. You humiliated us in front of the entire lecture hall with that video."
"You're the one who played it during your lecture, not me," Aoi flashed a smile.
Then, after a pause, Haru smirked, looking at Sakura. "But… it did help in some way, so thanks." He reached down, pulling Aoi back to his feet.
Aoi grinned like nothing had happened. "Damn, you've gotten stronger, baby bro." Then, without missing a beat, he turned back to Sakura. "So, you already figured out I'm Haru's older brother, huh?" He winked playfully.
Sakura hesitated before shaking his hand. "I'm Sakura, Haru's—um—"
"Girlfriend?" Aoi suggested smoothly.
Sakura's face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. "It's more like… we just started going out."
Aoi's grin widened. "That's what a girlfriend does."
Sakura swallowed hard. "Oh… then yeah, I'm his girlfriend." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
I can't believe myself. She had the mind of a twenty-eight-year-old, yet here she was, acting like a lovestruck high school girl.
"You're so cute." Aoi laughed.
"Hey! Don't go harassing her." Haru snapped, stepping slightly in front of Sakura.
Aoi lifted his hands in surrrender, amused. "Relax, baby bro." Then his eyes gleamed mischievously. "By the way, have you two kissed yet?"
Sakura let out a tiny squeak, her body going rigid as she and Haru both turned crimson.
Aoi gasped dramatically. "Ohhh, so you have! Baby bro finally had his first kiss!"
Before Haru could react, Aoi grabbed him into a headlock, ruffling his hair aggressively.
"Aoi, let go!" Haru growled, struggling.
"Nah, I gotta celebrate this moment!" Aoi teased, making sure to announce it loud enough for everyone nearby to hear—including some unwanted attention lurking around the corner.
Sakura buried her face in her hands. Was Aoi always this childish?!
The Aoi Sakura remembered was nothing like this. He had been mature, responsible, and always composed—someone who carried himself with quiet confidence. Yet, for some reason, he had never paid much attention to her.
"You were about to kiss just now, weren't you?" Aoi continued, smirking.
"Shut up, Aoi. You're making too much noise." Haru gritted his teeth, finally pushing him away.
"Okay, okay, I'm done." Aoi chuckled, ruffling his own hair. "Now get in the car."
Sakura turned to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, Haru."
"Wait."
She paused, looking over her shoulder. "Hmm?"
Haru stepped forward, his expression gentler now, the teasing from earlier forgotten.
Then, without hesitation, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
"See you tomorrow."
Sakura froze, her heart skipping a beat. Her face burned as she quickly turned away, unable to trust herself to speak.
Aoi whistled. "Damn, bro, I didn't think you had it in you."
Haru shot him a glare, getting in the car. "Shut up and drive."